Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread cookies are our one must-have at Christmas. They are dark and spicy and not too sweet. We decorate them with store-bought icing, sprinkles, and colored sugar. As the icing hardens it helps keep the cookies soft.

Logistically, these are practical cookies. I can make the dough and refrigerate or freeze it (pre-rolled). Later I cut and bake, then store at room temperature. Finally we set up for a decorating extravaganza.


Some of these pictures are from Marianna's May 2008 birthday party. The rest are from Christmas 2004.

Gingerbread Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 generous cup molasses

4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger

1/2 tsp mace (optional)

1/2 tsp crushed anise seed (optional)

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Blend in molasses. Gradually add dry ingredients. Flatten into 2 rounds and chill one hour or more. Roll to 1/4" or a bit thinner. Cut into shapes. Bake on greased baking sheets (or use parchment paper) at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Cool on pan about 1 minute, then transfer to cooling rack. Makes about 3 dozen.

Notes:

After mixing the dough, I roll it between layers of heavy duty plastic wrap (freeze-tite), then chill on a baking sheet.

For cutting out, I tape lightly floured freezer paper (shiny side up) to the island, OR I cut right on the plastic wrap.

• Scraps are rerolled in the plastic wrap. I put the rerolled dough in the fridge while I'm cutting another piece. If time is short I'll even put dough in the freezer.
• Baking time depends on dough thickness. Cookies could take up to 10 minutes, but not for me. If they're a little overbaked, the icing can soften them up, but there is a point of crispiness that can't be undone.
• One can of ready-to-spread frosting is enough for one batch of dough. At Christmas I make a double batch so we all have plenty to decorate.
• Duncan Hines classic vanilla (NOT whipped) icing is whiter than Pillsbury icing. I don't know how it compares to other brands.
• I use the high quality gels for coloring the icing. It is hard to make a Christmasy red; just do your best.
• I put the icing in pint size freezer bags and snip a hole in the corner of the bag. A plastic spatula comes in handy for occasionally squeezing icing back towards the corner.
• Sometimes I put the white icing in a real decorating bag with a writing tip. This makes for more attractive snowflakes and Santa beard/hair/trim. I used freezer bags on the cookies pictured above, and don't think they look as good as others I've made.
• The children decorate for as long as they are having fun, and then I finish up, usually in an assembly line style.